THREE MEN IN COURT FOR KILLING A PASTOR OVER PAYMENT OF ROYALTY

Three young men have on Monday appeared before Justice Abdul-Aziz Waziri led High Court in Adamawa State for alleged killing of one pastor Hammanjulde Dadon of Tashan Rake village in Yola South Local Government Area in the State.

The suspects, Goodwin Obadiah 25, Thomas Bitrus 27, and Hananiya Ezra 30 have been charged to court for alleged criminal conspiracy punishable under section 97(1) of the State Penal Code Law, 2018.

The accused and one Dahiru Mohammed now at large were alleged to have agreed to use criminal force on anyone that did not toe their line regarding the payment royalty relating to the use of sand in the community.

According to the prosecution, on the 23rd March, 2017, the young men did attack and caused the death of the pastor with sticks and cutlass with the knowledge that his death was possible.

But in his confessional statement, the 3rd defendant said that the 1st defendant asked him to accompany him to kill the pastor over a disputed land which the later eventually won at court.

He stated that he agreed and armed himself with a stick while the 2nd defendant who had a motorcycle carried the 1st defendant who was also armed with a stick for action.

Hananiya alleged that he also saw one strange Fulani man, Dahiru Mohammed who was recruited by the 1st defendant for the operation armed with a cutlass and trekking towards the scene of the incident.

According to him, they saw the deceased behind a Primary School with a lot of people, explaining that upon approaching the late pastor, the 1st defendant hit him with the stick and then the Fulani man rushed in and macheted him, leaving him lifeless.

He narrated that after killing the pastor, they immediately fled the scene but unknown to them that they were identified by onlookers including the son of the pastor, Babangida Hammajulde who later reported the matter that led to their arrest.

After cross examination of the prosecuting witnesses, the court presided by justice Abdul-Aziz Waziri adjourned the case to 25th February, 2020 for continuation of trial.